Device for receiving and/or conveying flat products

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device for receiving and/or conveying flat products ( 14 ), especially printing products, by means of individual grippers ( 1 ). The invention comprises a receiving and/or conveying section ( 12 ) along which the grippers ( 1 ) can be conveyed, and the limbs ( 9 ) support opened grippers ( 1 ) against one another in the area of the grippers, said grippers being arranged in succession. The invention also comprises a gripper closing device ( 15 ) which can be actuated after inserting a product ( 14 ) into an opened gripper ( 1 ), and/or a releasing device which can be actuated when a product ( 14 ) is released from the gripper ( 1 ). The receiving and/or conveying section ( 12 ) is curved in a convex manner in order to enlarge the maximum possible opening of the gripper.

The invention relates to an apparatus according to the preamble ofPatent claim 1.

Such apparatuses, as are known, for example, from Swiss Patent CH382768, are used in order for printed products which are supplied inimbricated formation, for example, by means of a conveying belt to beindividually received and transported to further processing stations.

When the printed products are received and discharged by individualgrippers, it has to be ensured that the grippers are opened widelyenough.

The disadvantage of the apparatus known from CH 382768 is the fact that,on account of the legs of successive grippers being supported againstone another, it is only possible to achieve a restricted gripper openingin the region of the receiving or discharging path.

An object of the invention is to develop an apparatus of the typementioned in the introduction such that it is possible to increase theopening of the grippers in the region of the receiving and/ordischarging path.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that the receivingand/or discharging path is curved convexly.

In the region of the receiving and/or discharging path, the gripperopening thus extends in the outward direction, in particular in theradially outward direction, on the side which is located opposite therespective curvature center point, with the result that the arcuatedistance located between two open legs of a gripper is greater than thearcuate distance between the centers of two grippers which can beconveyed along the receiving path. This relative sizing is brought aboutin that the arcuate distance located between the centers of successivegrippers is closer to the respective curvature center point than thearcuate distance enclosed by two open legs of a gripper.

The invention thus achieves the situation where, in the region of thereceiving and/or discharging path, the grippers can fan out or openfurther than, for example, in the case of-a rectilinear or concave path.

This advantageously means, for example in the case of grippers whichfollow closely one after the other, and in particular are in contactwith one another, that there is no increase in the distance between thegrippers when the latter are opened and/or there is no need toaccelerate the grippers since the opening movement of the grippers isobstructed to a lesser extent by adjacent grippers on account of theconvex curvature.

The grippers are preferably coupled to transporting means which can beconveyed along the receiving and/or discharging path, it being possiblefor this coupling to be of both rigid and pivotable design. In the caseof grippers which are coupled pivotably to transporting means, theapparatus according to the invention advantageously brings about thesituation where on account of the gripper legs being in contact with oneanother, in the region of the receiving and/or discharging section, thegrippers are aligned radially in relation to the respective curvaturecenter point and are thus fixed in a predetermined position, despite thepivotable coupling, during the receiving and/or discharging process.This predetermined alignment of the grippers during the receiving and/ordischarging process additionally ensures that precisely positionedmovement of the products is possible. In the case of grippers which arecoupled pivotably to transporting means, it is preferred if the pivotangle of said grippers is restricted, for example by mechanical stops,in order thus to ensure that force is transmitted satisfactorily to thegrippers during the opening movement.

In the region of the receiving and/or discharging path, the transportingmeans assigned to the grippers are arranged as closely as possible toone another, in order thus to achieve a situation where the individualgrippers follow as closely as possible one after the other in thisregion. In the extreme case, it is possible for successive transportingmeans to be in contact with one another.

The dimensions of the transporting means in the conveying direction arepreferably smaller than the distance between the two legs of an opengripper, with the result that the number of grippers in each pathsection in the region of the receiving and/or discharging path isrestricted essentially by the size of the gripper opening rather than bythe size of the transporting means.

The convex receiving and/or discharging path may be designed to becurved in the form of an arc of a circle or in some other way. If thereceiving and/or discharging path is designed in the form of an arc of acircle, it is advantageous if, in the region of the receiving and/ordischarging path, the grippers are guided by a carry-along wheel, thecenter point of this carry-along wheel then defining the center point ofthe curvature of the receiving and/or discharging path according to theinvention.

It is advantageous if a gripper-opening device is provided upstream ofthe receiving path, as seen in the conveying direction, in particular inthe region of the carry-along wheel, it being possible for saidgripper-opening device to be designed, for example, as an opening guidecurved in an arcuate manner.

It is also advantageous if the gripper-closing device, which isnecessary for receiving the products, is arranged in the region of thereceiving path or directly downstream of the receiving path, as seen inthe conveying direction, or at a small distance therefrom. Thegripper-closing device may be designed, for example, as a freelyrotatable or driven closing wheel which, when the grippers run past theclosing wheel, acts on the closing means provided on the grippers so asto initiate a closing movement of the grippers.

Finally, it is preferred if the release device, for releasing productsretained by means of the grippers, is arranged in the region of acarry-along wheel and is designed, in particular, as a gripper-openingdevice. In this case, the gripper-opening device may be designed as anopening guide curved, in particular, in an arcuate manner.

Further preferred embodiments of the invention are specified in thesubclaims.

The invention is described hereinbelow, by way of exemplary embodiments,with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a first variant of an apparatus according to the inventionwhich is intended for receiving products and has grippers which arecoupled rigidly to transporting means,

FIG. 2 shows a second variant of an apparatus according to the inventionwhich is intended for receiving products and has grippers which arecoupled rigidly to transporting means,

FIG. 3 shows a detail of an apparatus corresponding to FIGS. 1 and 2without a carry-along wheel,

FIG. 4 shows an apparatus according to the invention which is intendedfor receiving products and has grippers which are coupled pivotably totransporting means, and

FIG. 5 shows an apparatus according to the invention which is intendedfor discharging products and has grippers which are coupled rigidly totransporting means.

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus according to theinvention which has a multiplicity of grippers 1 which are each assignedto a transporting means 2 and are coupled rigidly to the same. Thetransporting means 2 are guided along a vertically running rail 3 suchthat they can be conveyed into the region of a carry-along wheel 4,which circulates in the clockwise direction.

The carry-along wheel 4 is provided with teeth 5 on its outercircumference, the interspace which is located between two teeth 5 beingsuitable in each case for receiving a transporting means 2. The teeth 5are each of saw-tooth form, the steep flank of the saw-tooth formleading, and the shallow flank correspondingly trailing, in thedirection of rotation of the carry-along wheel 4.

The transporting means 2, which can be conveyed into the region of thecarry-along wheel 4 by the rail 3, can be moved, by the carry-alongwheel 4, along a conveying path 6 which describes a semicircle about thepoint of rotation 7 of the carry-along wheel 4.

Arranged in the end region of the semicircular conveying path 6, on theside located opposite the rail 3, is a further rail 8, along which thetransporting means 2 can be conveyed away in the vertically upwarddirection following passage through the conveying path 6.

The grippers 1 essentially comprise in each case 2 gripper legs 9, whichare coupled to the respectively associated transporting means 2 suchthat they can be moved relative to one another along a circumferenceline, about the point of rotation 7 of the carry-along wheel 4. Thiscapacity for movement allows the gripper legs 9 to execute opening andclosing movements.

Each gripper is assigned an actuating element 10, and the gripper legs 9can be opened and closed by the radial displacement, in relation to thepoint of rotation 7, of said actuating element. Displacement of theactuating element 10 in the direction of the point of rotation 7 opensthe legs 9 of the gripper 1, and a movement in the opposite directioncloses the gripper legs 9.

Provided beneath the carry-along wheel 4 is an opening guide 11 which iscurved in an arcuate manner and by means of which the actuating elements10 of the grippers 1 running past the opening guide 11 in the clockwisedirection are displaced in the direction of the point of rotation 7 ofthe carry-along wheel 4, with the result that, ultimately, all thegrippers 1 running past the opening guide 11 are opened as they pass outof the region of the opening guide 11. For this purpose, the openingguide 11 is arranged such that its distance from the point of rotation 7becomes increasingly smaller in the clockwise direction.

In the direction of rotation of the carry-along wheel 4, the end of theopening guide 11 is adjoined by a receiving path 12, and terminating inthe region of the latter is a conveying belt 13 which conveys sheet-likeprinted products 14 in imbricated formation approximately horizontallyonto the receiving path 12, i.e. toward the grippers 1 located in saidreceiving path 12.

Provided in the end region of the receiving path 12 is a driven orfreely rotatable closing wheel 15, of which the point of rotation 16 isarranged in a stationary manner in relation to the point of rotation 7of the carry-along wheel 4. The position of the closing wheel 15 isselected here such that, in the region of the receiving path 12, theactuating elements 10 of the grippers 1 come into abutment against theouter circumference of the closing wheel 15 and are moved in theradially outward direction, in relation to the point of rotation 7 ofthe carry-along wheel 4, by said closing wheel, which results in aclosing movement of the respective grippers 1. The closing wheel 15 maybe designed as a double wheel with two wheels which are of the samesize, are spaced apart from one another in the direction perpendicularto the plane of the drawing and can both be rotated about the point ofrotation 16 in order thus to achieve the situation where the actuatingelements 10 can act in each case on both sides of the gripper legs 9,which results in more uniform force distribution.

As far as the opening guide 11 is concerned, it should be noted herethat, as an alternative, it may also extend up to a point just upstreamof the closing wheel 15, in order thus for the actuating elements 10 tobe fixed as long as possible in their opening position. The openingguide 11 only has to terminate in the region in which the closing wheel15 causes the actuating elements 10 to move in the radially outwarddirection.

Provided downstream of the closing wheel 15, as seen in the conveyingdirection, is a circulating accelerating conveyor 17 by means of whichthe grippers 1 closed by the closing wheel 15 can be conveyed away as inthe vertically upward direction along the rail 8 at elevated speed andlarge intervals.

During operation of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, thetransporting means 2 are conveyed vertically downward along the rail 3in the direction of the carry-along wheel 4, it being possible here forthe conveying operation to take place both actively by way of suitabledrive means and passively by means of gravitational force. In the regionof the rail 3, the transporting means 2 are so close together that theyare in contact with one another. The extent of the conveying means 2 inthe conveying direction is slightly greater than the extent of theclosed grippers 1 in the conveying direction. It has already beenmentioned in this context, however, that the extent of the open grippers1 in the conveying direction in the region of the receiving path 12 isgreater than the extent of the transporting means 2 in the conveyingdirection.

In each case one transporting means 2 is received between successiveinterspaces between the teeth 5 and is conveyed along the semicircularconveying path 6 in the direction of the receiving path 12 by means ofthe carry-along wheel 4. During this conveying process, the grippers 1extend radially away from the point of rotation 7 of the carry-alongwheel 4.

As the grippers 1 run past the opening guide 11, the actuating elements10 are displaced toward the point of rotation 7, which brings about anopening movement of the gripper legs 9. The actuating elements 10 arepreferably displaced in the direction of the point of rotation 7 to suchan extent that the gripper legs open to such a pronounced extent thatlegs 9 of adjacent grippers 1 butt against one another under stressing.

On account of the receiving path 12, which is curved in the form of anarc of a circle, the gripper opening A is greater than the distance Bbetween the centers of two successive transporting means 2. In the caseof a receiving path being of a linear design known from the prior art,the maximum gripper opening B which could be achieved would merelycorrespond to the distance between the centers of successivetransporting means 2. However, the gripper opening A can be increased bythe curved receiving path 12 according to the invention.

In the region of the receiving path 12, the products 14, delivered inimbricated formation, are conveyed in the direction of the carry-alongwheel 4 such that in- each case one product 14 passes into an opengripper 1.

Once products 14 have been introduced into the grippers 1, the grippers1 pass, by way of their actuating elements 10, into the region of theclosing wheel 15, which displaces the actuating elements 10 in theradially outward direction in relation to the point of rotation 7, as aresult of which the grippers 1 with the products located therein areclosed.

Once the grippers 1 have been closed, in each case one product 14 isretained in a gripper 1, and the unit comprising gripper 1, product 14and transporting means 2 can be conveyed away in the vertically upwarddirection along the rail 8, at elevated speed and larger intervals, bymeans of the accelerating conveyor 17.

The rigid coupling of the grippers 1 to the transporting means 2according to FIG. 1 ensures that the longitudinal extent of the grippers1 is always oriented perpendicularly to the transporting or conveyingdirection thereof.

FIG. 2 shows a second variant of an apparatus according to theinvention, this variant essentially corresponding to the variantaccording. to FIG. 1 and only differing therefrom in that there is noaccelerating conveyor 17 provided in the region following the receivingpath 12. According to FIG. 2, the closed grippers 1, each retaining aproduct 14, are thus conveyed away from the carry-along wheel 4 suchthat successive transporting means 2 are in contact with one another.This means that the distance between successive grippers 1 is the samein each case upstream and downstream of the carry-along wheel 4, as seenin the conveying direction, since the transporting means 2, which areassigned to the grippers 1, of successive grippers 1 are in contact withone another both upstream and downstream of the carry-along wheel 4.

This makes it possible to achieve, according to the invention, thesituation where the increased gripper opening achieved on account of theconvex curvature of the receiving path 12 allows products 14 to bereceived without the grippers 1 having to be accelerated and without thedistance between the grippers 1 having to be increased.

FIG. 3 shows a detail of an apparatus corresponding to FIGS. 1 and 2,this detail involving a region in which the grippers 1 run into a curvedpath and are open. The difference from the apparatuses according toFIGS. 1 and 2 is that there is no carryalong wheel provided according toFIG. 3.

The transporting means 2 are thus merely guided in the rail 3 in theregion of the convex curvature, the successive transporting means 2being in contact with one another. In this case, the transporting means2 may be driven in different ways. For example, it is possible for thetransporting means 2 to be moved in the conveying direction bygravitational force or by separate drive means (not illustrated). It islikewise possible for the conveying means to push one another in theconveying direction, a suitable drive means only ever acting in eachcase on one or more downstream conveying means, as seen in the conveyingdirection.

FIG. 4 shows an apparatus essentially corresponding to the apparatusesaccording to FIGS. 1 and 2, the essential difference from FIGS. 1 and 2being that the grippers 1′ are coupled pivotably to the transportingmeans 2′.

In addition, the opening guide 11′ is of somewhat shorter design thanthat according to FIGS. 1 and 2, although its curvature has beenselected such that it is nevertheless possible to ensure that thegrippers 1 [sic] are open to the full extent by the actuating elements10′ being displaced in the direction of the point of rotation 7′ of thecarry-along wheel 4′.

On account of the pivoting capacity of the grippers 1′ and transportingmeans 2′ relative to one another, the grippers 1′ pivot downward as faras possible until their pivoting movement is braked, for example, by astop (not illustrated). On account of this pivoting movement, the anglea [sic] between the gripper longitudinal axis 18 and the radius 19intersecting the gripper longitudinal axis 18 in the region of theconveying path 6′ is less than 180°, provided the grippers 1′ areclosed.

By virtue of the grippers 1′ being opened, by means of the opening guide11′, the legs 9′ of adjacent grippers 1′ are supported against oneanother and thus cause the grippers 1′ to be aligned radially inrelation to the point of rotation 7′. In this case, the angle betweenthe gripper longitudinal axis 18′ and the radius 19′ is 180°, i.e. thegripper longitudinal axis 18′ and radius 19′ coincide. In an alternativeembodiment of the invention, it is also possible for said angle to bemore than 180°.

In the same way as in FIGS. 1 and 2, it is possible for a receiving path12′ to follow the region which adjoins the opening guide 11′ in thedirection of rotation of the carry-along wheel 4′.

The open grippers 1′ are fixed particularly well in the radial directionif the legs 9′ of adjacent grippers 1′ butt against one another understressing, i.e. if the actuating elements 10′ are displaced in theradially inward direction to such an extent that, were there no adjacentgrippers 1′ present, the grippers would open even further than isillustrated in FIG. 4.

Although, according to FIG. 4, the grippers 1′ are thus connectedpivotably to the transporting means 2′, the ultimate result downstreamof the opening guide 11′, as seen in the conveying direction, is thesame precise, radially outwardly directed alignment of the open grippers1′ as in the case of an apparatus according to FIGS. 1 and 2, in whichthe grippers 1 are coupled rigidly to the transporting means 2.

FIG. 5 shows an apparatus according to the invention which is intendedfor discharging products 14 and has grippers 1 which are coupled rigidlyto transporting means 2″.

The grippers 1 are conveyed along a rectilinear path toward theapparatus illustrated, and retain in each case one product 14 in theprocess. In this case, the above mentioned actuating element 10 islocated in its closed position.

Provided in the end region of the rectilinear path is a synchronizingarrangement 20 which ensures that in each case one transporting means 2″with associated gripper 1 passes into the interspace between twosuccessive teeth 5″ of a carry-along wheel 4″.

The carry-along wheel 4″, which rotates about the point of rotation 7″,conveys the transporting means 2″ past a release device 21, the releasedevice 21 being designed as an opening guide curved in an arcuatemanner.

In the same way as the opening guide 11 according to FIG. 1, the releasedevice 21 causes the actuating elements 10 to be displaced in thedirection of the point of rotation 7″, which ultimately results in thelegs 9 of the grippers 1 opening.

Since this operation of opening the grippers 1 takes place in the regionof a convexly curved discharging path 22, it is ensured that the gripperlegs 9 can open sufficiently in order to release a product 14 retainedin a gripper 1. This sufficiently wide opening of the grippers 1 can bebrought about without the grippers 1 or the transporting means 2″ havingto be accelerated before or during the opening process.

What is claimed is:
 1. Apparatus for receiving sheet-like products, inparticular printed products, comprising: a plurality of transportingmechanisms; individual grippers, having legs that can be opened andclosed, coupled to corresponding transporting mechanisms; saidtransporting mechanisms having a receiving path along which the gripperscan be conveyed, said receiving path including a region in which thelegs of successive, open grippers are supported against one another;each transporting mechanism having a given dimension, measured in thedirection of transport, that is less than the distance between the legsof an open gripper such that the number of grippers that can occupy saidregion of the receiving path is restricted by the size of an opengripper rather than by the size of the transporting mechanisms; agripper-closing device, which can be actuated once a product has beenintroduced into an open gripper; said receiving path is curved convexlyin order to increase the maximum possible gripper opening; and anaccelerating conveyor for transporting the transporting mechanisms andcorresponding gripper and gripped product away from the region of thereceiving path at elevated speeds and with larger intervals between thetransporting mechanisms.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1,characterized in that the gripper opening extends in the radiallyoutward direction on that side of the receiving path which is locatedopposite the respective curvature center point.
 3. Apparatus accordingto claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the grippers are coupled rigidlyto the corresponding transporting mechanism.
 4. Apparatus according toclaim 3, characterized in that the pivot angle is restricted. 5.Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, in the region ofthe receiving path, successive transporting mechanism are spaced apartfrom one another.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized inthat, in the region of the receiving path, successive transportingmechanism are in contact with one another.
 7. Apparatus according toclaim 1 or 2, characterized in that the receiving path is curved in theform of an arc of a circle.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,characterized in that, in the region of the receiving path, the grippersare guided by a carry-along wheel.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 8,characterized in that a gripper-opening device is provided upstream ofthe receiving path, in the region of the carry-along wheel. 10.Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that agripper-opening device is provided upstream of the receiving path, asseen in the conveying direction.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 10,characterized in that the gripper-opening device is designed as anopening guide curved, in an arcuate manner.
 12. Apparatus according toclaim 11, characterized in that the gripper-closing device is arrangedin the region of the receiving path, as seen in the conveying direction.13. Apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that thegripper-closing device is designed as a freely rotatable closing wheel.14. Apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that thegripper-closing device is designed as a driven closing wheel. 15.Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that thegripper-closing device is arranged downstream of the receiving path, asseen in the conveying direction.
 16. Apparatus according to claim 1 or2, characterized in that the grippers are pivotally coupled to thecorresponding transporting mechanism.
 17. Apparatus for dischargingsheet-like products, in particular printed products, comprising: aplurality of transporting mechanisms; individual grippers, having legsthat can be opened and closed, coupled to corresponding transportingmechanisms; said transporting mechanisms having a discharging path alongwhich the grippers can be conveyed, said discharging path including aregion in which the legs of successive, open grippers are supportedagainst one another; each transporting mechanism having a givendimension, measured in the direction of transport, that is less than thedistance between the legs of an open gripper such that the number ofgrippers that can occupy said region of the discharging path isrestricted by the size of an open gripper rather than by the size of thetransporting mechanisms; a gripper-release device, which can be actuatedwhen it is desired to discharge a product; said discharging path iscurved convexly in order to increase the maximum possible gripperopening; and an accelerating conveyor for transporting the transportingmechanisms and corresponding empty gripper away from the region of thedischarging path at elevated speeds and with larger intervals betweenthe transporting mechanisms.
 18. Apparatus according to claim 17,characterized in that the gripper opening extends in the radiallyoutward direction on that side of the discharging path which is locatedopposite the respective curvature center point.
 19. Apparatus accordingto claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the grippers are coupledrigidly to the transporting means.
 20. Apparatus according to claim 19,characterized in that the pivot angle is restricted.
 21. Apparatusaccording to claim 19, characterized in that, in the region of thedischarging path, successive transporting means are spaced apart fromone another.
 22. Apparatus according to claim 19, characterized in that,in the region of the discharging path, successive transporting mechanismare in contact with one another.
 23. Apparatus according to claim 17 or18, characterized in that the discharging path is curved in the form ofan arc of a circle.
 24. Apparatus according to claim 17 or 18,characterized in that, in the region of the discharging path, thegrippers are guided by a carry-along wheel.
 25. Apparatus according toclaim 24, characterized in that the release device is arranged in theregion of the carry-along wheel and is designed, in particular, as agripper-opening device.
 26. Apparatus according to claim 25,characterized in that the release device is designed as an opening guidecurved, in an arcuate manner.
 27. Apparatus according to claim 17 or 18,characterized in that the grippers are pivotably coupled to thecorresponding transporting mean.